Wicklow Mountains National Park: Gardening for Nature for National Biodiversity Week, Tuesday 23 May 2017

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1 Wicklow Mountains National Park: Gardening for Nature for National Biodiversity Week, Tuesday 23 May 2017 Meet the gardeners of our Wildlife & Sensory Garden, and pick up some tips about attracting wildlife to your garden. This will be an informal gathering, with plenty of discussion time, so bring photos of your own garden with you, if you have any. Where: Meet at the National Park Information Office, Upper Lake, Glendalough When: Tuesday 23 May at 11am Duration: 1 1½ hrs. Practicalities: Suitable for adults and teenagers. Please leave your dog at home. This event is free of charge but please be aware that the Upper Lake car park (Wicklow County Council) has a 4 charge for car parking. Booking: Booking is essential! To book or for more information, phone Bookings taken from 10am, Tuesday 9th May. This event is organised by education staff based at Wicklow Mountains National Park who are employed by the National Parks & Wildlife Service under the aegis of Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. For more information about events and the education service at Wicklow Mountains National Park please go online at: or us at wickloweducationcentre@ahg.gov.ie

2 Wicklow Mountains National Park: Life in an Oakwood, Sunday 28th May 2017 for Biodiversity Week Did you know that forests used to cover most of the island of Ireland? Sadly, overtime they have been reduced to just a fragment. However, Co. Wicklow is home to a significant density of native woodland. Join a National Parks & Wildlife Service Guide on a moderate walk in the oak woods of Glendalough Nature Reserve and discover some of the plants and animals that live there. Where: Meet at the Wicklow Mountains National Park Information Office, Upper Lake, Glendalough (Eircode: A98R221). When: Sunday 28th May at 11 a.m. Duration: 1-1 ½ hours Practicalities: Suitable for adults and teenagers but not young children. Some of the route will be off-trail and uphill. Walking boots and rain gear are recommended as is insect repellent. Please leave your dog at home. This event is free of charge but please be aware that the Upper Lake car park (Wicklow County Council) has a 4 charge for car parking. Booking: Booking is essential! To book or for more information, phone Bookings taken from 10am, Sunday 14th May This event is organised by education staff based at Wicklow Mountains National Park who are employed by the National Parks & Wildlife Service under the aegis of Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. For more information about events and the education service at Wicklow Mountains National Park please go online at: or us at wickloweducationcentre@ahg.gov.ie

3 Connemara National Park will run a host of events to suit all the family for Biodiversity week We will start the week with two Guided Walks lead by our Education Officer. Our weekend events will include, Guided Tree Walks, Beekeeping Demonstrations, Music & Dance, Craft & Wood Turning Demonstrations, Talks and two very interesting workshops especially for children, a Mini Archaeologist Workshop and a Surveying Workshop. All details can be found on our website or by call /

4 Saturday 20 th May INCH WILDFOWL RESERVE - Dawn Chorus Wake up early for one of the most amazing spectacles of spring! Inch is simply bursting with birdsong at the moment and at this Dawn Chorus an ecologist will be on hand to help explain the various calls and the birds they belong to! Location: Time: Meeting at McGrath s Car Park on Inch Island 5.30am Sunday 21 st May INCH WILDFOWL RESERVE - Open Day Help us celebrate the biodiversity of Inch Wildfowl reserve with an event suitable for all the family! Birds of Prey Exhibition Freshwater Explorers Children s Arts and Crafts Mysterious Moths (2pm and 3.30pm) Willow Weaving Meet the Birds Treasure Hunt Location: Time: Pump House Car Park, Slab Road (All Events) McGrath s Car Park on Inch Island (Birds of Prey) 1pm to 5pm

5 Killarney National Park Education Centre will be running a Family FunDay in the woodlands and grounds of the Knockreer Demesne on Sunday 28 th May. Also staff from the centre will lead a Nocturnal Nature Ramble on the evening of Wednesday 24 th May. And on a number of the weekdays surrounding Biodiversity Week the centre will also be running special Primary School Biodiversity Days. All places at events need to be booked in advance. For further details and bookings contact Killarney National Park Education Centre on or knpeducationcentre@ahg.gov.ie

6 Where Sheskinmore NPWS Reserve, Ardara, Co. Donegal. Three hundred hectares of sand dunes, marsh, dry grassland, saltmarsh and heath, between Ardara and Portnoo. Recently featured on BBC 1 s Wild Ireland. The talk and walk will begin from the McGlincheys Field Studies Centre off the L7743. When on Saturday 27th May 2017 Who Stuart Dunlop Stuart Dunlop has been recording wildlife, particularly plants and invertebrates on his Donegal Blog spot since He regularly takes part in BioBlitz and is an expert on the Heritage in Schools panel. Stuart s in-depth knowledge of invertebrates and his detailed photography will be a treat for all wildlife enthusiasts. Talk Biodiversity and Pollinators, An illustrated talk on Bees and Hoverflies, what they do for us and what we can do for them. Walk Guided walk around Sheskinmore looking at plants, pollinators and insects. Further information - Emer Magee, Conservation Ranger, SW Donegal, Roshine South, Dungloe, Co. Donegal Emer.magee@ahg.gov.ie

7 Glenveagh National Park Event An artist will be working in the Log Cabin on the Derrylahan Nature Trail in Glenvegah National Park on Sunday 21st May, creating a mural depicting the theme of sustainable tourism and biodiversity. Visitors are welcome to call by and find out more. The mural will capture the idea of taking time to notice nature and enjoy the quiet peaceful views from the cabin, as part of the visitor experience in Glenveagh. It will highlight the importance of leaving no trace and impact from having visited and the importance of the wide variety of flora and fauna present there. Glenveagh National Park Church Hill, Letterkenny Co. Donegal, Ireland Phone: glenveaghbookings@ahg.gov.ie Website:

8 Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve StreamScapes are running two free field trips for children in Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve (starting from the main car-park/picnic area): Saturday 20th May (2-4pm) Aquatic Biodiversity: the emphasis will be on the aquatic, with participants finding out how to collect and identify aquatic invertebrates and discover what they indicate about the water quality. Children will also learn about how invertebrates form part of the food web and how best-practice behaviour can have a beneficial impact on local water quality and biodiversity. Bring wellies and a sense of adventure! Sunday 21st May (2-4pm) Terrestrial & Avian Biodiversity: children will be given the opportunity to explore and appreciate the range of mammals and birds found in the area and how they fit into the food web, including their dependence upon high quality aquatic resources. Participants will be given tips for wildlife observation and learn how to identify various wildlife signs e.g. foot prints and spraints (otter poo!). Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve Glengarriff Co Cork Ireland Tel: glengarriffnaturereserve@ahg.gov.ie

9 Clara Bog Nature Reserve receives thousands of visitors each year. This year for Biodiversity Week, 'Clara Bog Visitor Centre' is hosting a number of events throughout the week reflecting this year's theme of "Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism". We will be working with both schools and adult groups and the visitor centre will be accessible to drop-in and see our lovely displays for Biodiversity Week. There are a number of discovery tables and interactive nature games for children to explore and get involved with. The nature reserve is open all day and fully accessible to all. Clara Bog Visitor Centre, Ballycumber Road, Clara, Co. Offaly R35 T621 T:

10 Coole-Garryland Nature Reserve A free family event at Coole on Sunday 28th May 3pm to 4.30pm. Come and explore and learn about biodiversity. Examine insects up close, identify young trees and discover what else is growing in the regenerating woodland areas. There will be information and an art and craft workshop where children can create their own trees and woodland creatures. Telephone: coolepark@ahg.gov.ie Hilda MacLochlainn Maor Threoraí/Supervisor Guide NPWS An Chúil/Coole Gort Inse Guaire Co na Gaillmhe/Co Galway H91 HF5X